Pokémon fans who want to go competitive will want to maximize the combat potential of their Pokémon roster. Those who want to become the next Champion in Nintendo's hit franchise have got to give their A-Game - synergy and strategy play a huge role in any hopeful Champion's arsenal. However, most Pokémon experts rely on Type synergies to maximize the presence of their Pokémon in a match.

Thing is, with 18 Pokémon Types, it's not easy to find the best Type Combinations out there. With Pokémon having distinct move sets, strengths, and weaknesses associated with each Type, it seems just having the right Type Combination can secure a match.

Updated December 24, 2021 by Rhenn Taguiam: With Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl taking players to a retelling of their adventures with Generation VIII Pokemon, it's natural for some Trainers to get excited at just how their fan-favorite Pokemon would appear in these remakes. Moreover, those with a knack for competitive Pokemon will want to see if there's a way to ensure their team's domination over other players. Those who want an edge will likely need to remember some of the best Type combinations their Pokemon could have. However, players who want the perfect team will need to know just which Pokemon in these categories can completely dominate their respective Type classifications.

10 Fire/Fighting

Fire Fighting - Pokemon Best Type Combinations

Resistances: Bug, Dark, Fire, Grass, Ice, Steel

Super Effective: Bug, Dark, Fire, Grass, Ice, Steel

Weakness: Water, Ground, Flying, Psychic

Granted, some might say that the Fire/Fighting Dual Type is too common of a combination. It also doesn't help that it has weaknesses to the more common Ground Types and the more potent Flying and Psychic Types. However, those who can make fast-paced builds can work around these weaknesses and capitalize on Fire/Fighting and its strengths.

Essentially, the Fighting Type aspect finally removes the Fire Type's innate weakness from Fire. Moreover, players can capitalize on ever-helpful Fire Type and Fighting Type maneuvers such as Flamethrower and Close Combat.

Notable Fire/Fighting Pokemon

  • Blaziken (Mega Evolution, Combusken): Of Torchic's evolutionary tree, it's Combusken that begins to tap into their nature as half-Fighting Pokemon. They meet their true potential in Blaziken, and especially Mega Blaziken . Blaziken boasts decent Attack and Special Attack.
  • Infernape (Monferno): Similar to Torchic, Chimchar starts tapping into its Fighting Type half with Monferno, and then eventually Infernape. They have lower base stats compared to Combusken, but Infernape does boast Speed equal to its Attack and Special Attack.
  • Emboar (Pignite): Again with Torchic and Chimchar, Tepig meets the same Fire/Fighting tandem courtesy of Pignite, and then Emboar. Stats-wise, Emboar is more of a tank given its decent HP to pair with its Attack and Special Attack.

9 Water/Fairy

Water Fairy - Pokemon Best Type Combinations

Immunity: Dragon

Super Effective: Dark, Dragon, Fighting, Fire, Ground, Rock

Resistances: Bug, Dark, Fighting, Fire, Ice, Water

Weakness: Electric, Grass, Poison

The Water/Fairy Dual Type evidently rises to the occasion when it comes to decently balancing a Pokémon's inherent weakness/resistance statistics. Granted, this Type Combination does have weaknesses in the form of Electric, Grass, and Poison Pokémon. However, its inherent defensive resistances and offensive advantages trump more powerful Pokémon teams.

For instance, Fairy contributes an innate immunity to the Dragon Type - great for canceling out the popularity of Dragon Type in the meta. Its resistances also form a great defense against powerful attacks such as Ice Beam, Hydro Pump, Flamethrower, and good ol' melee combat. Lastly, this type is a nightmare of naturally-potent Types, perfect to counter otherwise strong setups.

Notable Water/Fairy Pokemon

  • Azumarill (Marill): The Azurill evolutionary tree enjoys the Water/Fairy typing, courtesy of Azumarill, which is the evolved form of Marill, which then comes from getting enough friendship with Azurill. Azumarill boasts decent HP, Defense, and Sp. Def, making it a good tanking Pokemon.
  • Primarina: Popplio's final form, in the form of Primarina, will have to get through the Brionne middle evolution before enjoying this Water/Fairy Typing.
  • Tapu Fini: This guardian deity of Poni Island has separate typing compared to fellow guardians Bulu, Lele, and Koko. Given its nature, Tapu Fini has above-average base stats, with higher levels of Special Defense and Defense.

8 Electric/Steel

Electric Steel - Pokemon Best Type Combinations

Immunity: Poison

Resistances: Bug, Dragon, Electric, Fairy, Flying, Grass, Ice, Normal, Psychic, Rock, Steel

Weakness: Fire, Fighting, Ground

Players who want an awesome defensive Dual Type Combination will love the potential of Electric/Steel. In fact, this type alone has the most number of resistances in the series. Aside from its immunity to Poison, an Electric/Steel type can wreck matches with powerhouse moves such as Body Press, Flash Cannon, Thunderbolt, and Magnet Pull.

Granted, this Dual Type Combination has a maddening 4x weakness against Ground and equally frustrating weaknesses against Fire and Fighting. However, players who can work around these caveats can fully capitalize its 11 Resistances to victory.

Notable Electric/Steel Pokemon

  • Magnezone (Magneton, Magnemite): When exposed to a Thunder Stone, the otherwise ordinary Magneton can become Magnezone. Now the final form of Magnemite, Magnezone enjoys decent Special Attack coupled with decent base Defense.
  • Togedemaru: This adorable roly-poly Pokemon isn't a pushover, as while it does have average stats, it still fares well against other Pokemon of its caliber. Its high-enough Attack and Speed can make it excel in hit-and-run strategies.

7 Water/Flying

Water Flying - Pokemon Best Type Combinations

Immunity: Ground

Super Effective: Bug, Fighting, Fire, Grass, Ground, Rock

Resistances: Bug, Fighting, Fire, Steel, Water

Weakness: Rock, Electric

Players who want a more straightforward Dual Type Combination will appreciate Water/Flying. Essentially, it does great when it comes to naturally negating each others' weak points. For instance, this Dual Type no longer have their individual aspects' natural weaknesses against Grass Types (for Water), and Ice Types (for Flying).

Likewise, this Dual Type Combination can get deadly against the more common Fighting, Fire, and Ground Types in the meta. Of course, players have to work around this type's natural weakness to Rock Types and its rather deadly 4x weakness against Electric Types.

Notable Water/Flying Pokemon

  • Gyarados: Magikarp's popular evolution Gyarados is one of the most iconic Water/Flying Pokemon out there, boasting high-enough Attack and Special Defense to pepper through most foes and their special movies.
  • Mantine (Mantyke): Obtaining this manta ray Pokemon is only achievable by having a Mantyke and a Remoraid in the same party. This seems worth the while, though, given Mantine has ridiculously high Special Defense - making it a fitting tank against Pokemon who love special moves.
  • Pelipper (Wingull): This seagull Pokemon evolves from Wingull. And while Pelipper has quite the mundane appearance, they do boast average stats. With a decent Defense and Special Attack, Pelipper can brace through most ordinary Pokemon with ease.
  • Swanna (Ducklett): This elegant swan Pokemon evolves from Ducklett, giving it quite a majestic final evolution. It boasts average stats across the board, with almost matching Speed, Special Attack, and Attack that make it quite the surprisingly aggressive Pokemon in a party.

6 Steel/Flying

Steel Flying - Pokemon Best Type Combinations

Immunity: Ground, Poison

Super Effective: Bug, Grass, Fairy, Fighting, Ice, Rock

Resistances: Bug, Dragon, Fairy, Grass, Flying, Ice, Normal, Psychic, Steel

Weakness: Fire, Electric

In the right hands, the Steel/Flying Type can spell disaster for opponents. This typing fully maximizes the benefits of both the Steel Type and the Flying Type. Essentially, the Flying Type aspect negates the otherwise-deadly potential of Ground Type. Meanwhile, the Steel Type aspect helps counteract the Flying Type's natural weakness against the Rock Type.

With these synergies in mind, the Steel/Flying combination will remain useful to natural powerhouses amongst competitive Pokémon such as Fairy, Fighting, Ice, and Rock Types. Likewise, it has natural resistances against powerful Dragon and Psyching Types. Players just need to stay wary of the natural weakness towards Fire and Electric Types.

Notable Steel/Flying Pokemon

  • Skarmory: This armor bird Pokemon seems simple-looking enough, but it packs quite a decent punch. Skarmory has surprisingly high-enough Defense that makes its defenses hard to tear down even when facing Pokemon above its caliber.
  • Corviknight (Gigantamax: This raven Pokemon comes from two former evolutions, Corvisquire and Rookidee. And while its former forms seem mediocre-looking, Corviknight's edgy look is well-deserved. In its base form, Corviknight boasts decent HP, Attack, Defense, and Special Defense. However, these stats do get a much-needed increase during Gigantamax formats.

5 Steel/Fairy

Steel Fairy - Pokemon Best Type Combinations

Immunity: Dragon, Poison

Super Effective: Dark, Dragon, Fairy, Fighting, Ice, Rock

Resistances: Bug, Dark, Fairy, Grass, Flying, Ice, Normal, Psychic, Rock

Weakness: Fire, Ground

In terms of sheer defense, the Steel/Fairy Dual Type is always something to rely on. Its natural immunity against Poison and Dragon Types can ruin an enemy's day, especially if they're using the Dragon Type metagame builds. Likewise, resistances against natural powerhouses such as Psychic, Fairy, and Dark can give an opponent a rough day.

Of course, players would need to stay wary of its inherent weaknesses towards Fire and Ground Types. It doesn't help that some staple competitive moves such as Flamethrower and Earthquake belong to these Types. However, with the right Pokémon pairing, a Steel/Fairy typing can provide enough punch to dominate a match.

Notable Steel/Fairy Pokemon

  • Mawile (Mega Evolution): Despite its cute nature, one can't deny that Mawile does have a gaping mouth with teeth at the back of its head. Stat-swise, Mawile boasts equal levels Attack and Defense, making for quite a balanced attack build. However, Mawile gets wild during its Mega Evolution, as its Attack, Defense, and Special Defense shoot up in values in this form.
  • Klefki: This keyring Pokemon might look weird at first, especially with the keys it's carrying. However, it does boast one of the best layouts of base stats for an ordinary Pokemon, At its core, its Attack, Defense, Special Defense, and Special Attack fall on extremely similar amounts. Not to mention, its Speed manages to keep up with the other stats as well, giving Klefki quite a decent build.
  • Magearna: This Steel/Fairy Pokemon is a Mythical Pokemon for a reason, especially with its artificial nature. It even hides a special form under its armored exterior, which makes it all the more deadlier. Stats-wise, Magearna has high Special Attack, closely followed by Special Defense and Defense, making it a deadly foe for both ordinary and special Pokemon to face.

4 Ghost/Dark

Ghost Dark - Pokemon Best Type Combinations

Immunity: Fighting, Normal, Psychic

Super Effective: Ghost, Psychic

Resistances: Poison

Weakness: Fairy

Of all typings, it's the Ghost/Dark Dual Type that capitalizes on its inherent defensive potential. At its core, this typing only has a weakness against Fairy Types. Moreover, its inherent tactical advantage over more powerful Ghost and Psychic Types can make it a natural force to reckon with. And its immunity over hard-hitting Psychic, Normal, and Fighting Types can make this a force to reckon with.

Unfortunately, despite its inherent strengths, only two Pokémon exist within this Dual Type Combination - namely, Spiritomb and Sableye. It's also at a player's initial advantage that both Pokémon don't boast powerful-enough stats to take on enemies on their own.

In turn, combat would likely have this typing take on a more supportive role. In fact, players can fully capitalize on these Pokémon's innate abilities to turn the tide instead.

Notable Ghost/Dark Pokemon

  • Sableye: With its iconic purple skin and red gem, one can't mistake Sableye for another Pokemon. And courtesy of the Sablenite, Sableye can transform into its much more powerful Mega Sableye iteration. Stats-wise, Sableye has almost equal base numbers for Attack, Defense, Special Attack, and Special Defense. However, when Mega Evolved, Mega Sableye gets a massive boost in Defense and Special Defense, making it much tankier than before.
  • Spiritomb: One might look at Spiritomb and understand why it's classified as the Forbidden Pokemon. Appearing as though only a ghostly purple mass attached to a stone, Spiritomb projects its outward appearance through what's known as the keystone. Stats-wise, Spiritomb has equal amounts Defense and Special Defense, and equal amounts - but a bit lower - Attack and Special Attack.

3 Poison/Dark

Poison Dark - Pokemon Best Type Combinations

Immunity: Psychic

Resistances: Dark, Ghost, Grass, Poison

Super Effective: Fairy, Ghost, Grass, Psychic

Weakness: Ground

At its core, the Poison/Dark Dual Type capitalizes on sheer defensive strategy against more potent Pokémon Types. In fact, their synergy makes them resistant to more vicious Poison, Dark, and Ghost Types and at the same time giving them the edge against equally-powerful Psychic and Fairy Types.

Sadly, players still have to cover their bases with the leftover Ground Type weakness. If they're not careful, Earth Power and Earthquake can easily decimate a well-crafted defensive strategy. It also doesn't help that Ground Types are a more common appearance among types, meaning this Dual Type can more or less serve as a support unit.

Notable Poison/Dark Pokemon

  • Alolan Muk (Alolan Grimer): Unlike conventional Grimer and its evolution Muk that are simply Poison Types, their Alolan variants are actually Poison/Dark. Thankfully, their naturally evolved states can potentially give them an edge in the meta. The Alolan Muk has equal parts HP and Attack, with Sp. Def following close behind. They then have decent Defense and Sp. Atk, followed by middling Speed.
  • Skutank (Stunky): Despite taking inspiration from the skunk, Skutank and Stunky are both quite formidable Pokemon, even when it comes to their base stats. These include almost equal levels of HP, Attack, and Speed.
  • Drapion: This ogre scorpion Pokemon is one of the most recognizable among the Poison/Dark Types, particularly for its evolution from the otherwise diminutive Skorupi. Stats-wise, Drapion boasts above average Defense and decent Attack, making it quite a decent attacker in most matches.

2 Steel/Bug

Steel Bug - Pokemon Best Type Combinations

Immunity: Poison

Resistances: Bug, Dragon, Fairy, Grass, Ice, Psychic, Steel

Super Effective: Dark, Fairy, Grass, Ice, Psychic, Rock

Weakness: Fire

With the Steel/Bug Dual Type, any Pokémon can get one of the best defensive arsenals in the game. At its core, Poison Type immunity is a great deterrent against pesky poison attacks. Moreover, mixed resistance and advantages against the more potent Fairy, Dragon, Psychic, and Dark Types can easily make this type the bane of semi-OP builds.

However, players do need to watch out for the whopping 4x Weakness against Fire Types. This can pose a lot of trouble, considering some of the more essential attacks such as Fire Blast and Flamethrower all exist within the more dominant Fire Type.

Notable Steel/Bug Pokemon

  • Forretress: Despite its rather odd appearance, bagworm Pokemon Forretress is an admirable work of survivability. It boasts above average Defense and decent Attack, making it quite a good defender against most basic Pokemon.
  • Scizor (Mega Evolution): If Scyther holds a Metal Coat when traded, it can evolve into Scizor. And if Scizor gets a Scizorite, it can Mega Evolve into Mega Scizor. This Pokemon remains quite a decent addition to any party, especially with its decent base Attack and Defense, which makes it a good contender against most basic Pokemon.
  • Escavalier: This cavalry Pokemon resembles that of a lancer knight, and could only be acquired once a Karrablast is traded for a Shelmet. Stats-wise, Escavalier fits its association with knightly valor, as its above average Attack and generally-decent Defense and Special Defense make it a good Pokemon in any party.

1 Water/Ground

Water Ground - Pokemon Best Type Combinations

Immunity: Electric

Resistances: Fire, Poison, Rock, Steel

Super Effective: Electric, Fire, Ground, Poison, Rock, Steel

Weakness: Grass

The Water/Ground Dual Type serves as a great counter against Pokémon of more common Type variances. At first glance, its immunity to Electric Types seems like a huge advantage, but it also has a setback in the form of a 4x Weakness against Grass Types. However, Trainers who can work around this caveat will have a powerful Type Combination in their hands.

Essentially, the synergy between Water and Ground Types allow Pokémon of these Types to maximize their utility and offensive options. With its Primary Type (Water), Pokémon in this Type Combination can capitalize on Ice Type moves to counter its Grass and Dragon caveat.

Notable Water/Ground Pokemon

  • Quagsire (Wooper): Bubbly Quagsire evolves from Wooper, maintaining its funny appearance. However, despite their humorous exterior, they are rough fighters. They boast decent HP, Attack and Defense, as well as decent Sp. Atk and Sp. Def. However, Quagsire does suffer from low Speed.
  • Swampert (Marshtomp): Mudkip from Generation III remains one of the most recognizable Starter Pokemon out there, and its final evolution Swampert is perhaps one of the best-looking Starters to grace the franchise. Not to mention, its Mega Swampert form achieved via a Swampertite just looks like a beast to behold. Stats-wise, Swampert has decent numbers across the board, but its Mega Swampert form skyrockets Attack to the above-average numbers.

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl were released on November 19, 2021 for the Nintendo Switch.

NEXT: Which Pokémon Game Suits You Best, Based On Your D&D Alignment?